Gotta Go Fast
by Steffy Wolf
Summary: The Sonic Team is back for another air racing challenge! But this time, they're missing someone beloved to them. Can the new racer replace her or will she be an enemy to the team? How long will it take for this racer to warm up to the group? She seems pretty feisty. Rated M for language and possible sexual themes in later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

Any person in Station Square could easily say it must have been the freshest morning in all year. It was the beginning of autumn and everyone dressed accordingly: they dressed for warmth but not for sweat. Those in business work their suits and coats over, with occasional scarf wrapped comfortingly around their necks. As calm and serene it was in the city, the same could not be said for the desolate ruins of Mystic Ruins. Or rather, not as desolate as Dr. Robotnik's troops marched along the pathway of the area, causing for trees to tumble over. A devilish smile crept unto the bushy lips of the scientist as he thought over his plans to finally get rid of his rival once and for all.

"Alright, you junks of metal! Search for that Chaos Emerald! This plan needs to go smoothly for everything to fall into place!" He shouted over the roar of his new and improved Egg Emperor. After Metal Sonic trashed the old one, he decided to remake his beloved machine. After all, he did face every single one of the heroes with this machine, and even battle against Shadow with it. After all the battles, he was able to find just exactly what this machine needed. So far, the machine worked marvelously, and he was itching to finally test it.

The eyes of the scientist shifted left and right under his glasses. He was expecting for an attack. Any second n—

"Hey, Eggman! What's your junk doing scattered over the Mystic Ruins? Haven't I told you about littering and how filthy that is?" Dr. Robotnik's eye twitched habitually at the arrogant voice of his rival. He turned in his seat, causing the machine's torso to turn. He saw opponent standing on a branch with a challenging grin etched on his muzzle. "Ah, Sonic! My oh-so irritating adversary! What brings you here? I haven't even made it to the station and yet here you are!" Robotnik chided with a sarcastic grin on his lips. Sonic crossed his arms and looked down at Egghead with half lidded eyes. "Aww, Egghead, I never knew you were such a nostalgic creep! I can't believe you rebuilt this bag of bolts after it was destroyed twice. It must have brought back tons of memories for you to waste your time on it." Sonic responded, ignoring his enemy's remark.

Eggman growled and glared at the cobalt hero. He then pointed a Sonic, the machine's arm following Eggman's movement and pointed at him as well. "Listen here, you little weasel—" "Hedgehog." Sonic interrupted with a smirk. Eggman stared at Sonic dumbfounded and slowly dropped his arm. He then roared. "Listen, you little shit!" Eggman shouted. Sonic's eyes widened and he lifted his hands up to his chest, palms facing Eggman. "Whoa, Egghead! Are we cursing now? Children could be lurking the area, you know." Sonic replied. Eggman growled. "Honestly, Sonic, I don't give a damn who or what is around! All I know is that I will break you today!" He retorted, gripping painfully at the controls before him. Sonic shrugged then grinned. "Are you sure about that? Because from what I see, it's the three of us—" He confirmed as a tree fell to the ground, revealing Knuckles behind the collapsed tree. Following suit, the roar of the Tornado's engine rumbled from above the scene. The dirt and leaves that decorated the ground flew up as the Tornado came closer to its descent. However, at last minute, the Tornado transformed and it was then a walking mechanism with Tails seated on top of it nicely with a smirk. "—against you." Sonic finished as he leaned against the tree with a smug look on his features.

Eggman chuckled. "Are you blind, you fool? Do you not see—" "The army of destroyed robots behind you? Of course we do." Knuckles finished for Eggman in his gruff voice. Eggman jumped and turned to look behind him, only to see that his robots were once as they used to be: scraps of metal. Eggman roared and turned back to the trio. "No matter! I will take you out myself!" He shouted as he pointed a mechanical hand towards them. It soon transformed into a gun with a glowing red tip. Sonic grinned. "Alright, Eggman. Let's play for a little while." He said as he jumped down from the tree and rushed at the mechanism. Eggman pointed to the ground and charged up the gun. At the tip, a glowing red ball began to grow. Tails's eyes widened. "Sonic, watch out! That's a laser!" He shouted over the whirring of the gun in action.

Sonic looked up a little too late and noticed Eggman had already fired the weapon at the ground. Rocks and dirt shot forward, the rocks already burning from the heat of the laser. The power of the gun caused a strong wave to emit from the impact, sending Sonic and the burning debris flying back. Once he landed and bounced against the ground, and when the rocks burned at his face, Tails and Knuckles sprung into action. Sonic groaned and lifted his torso up, keeping it up by leaning on his elbows. He looked at Tails and Knuckles, who were blown backwards, and glared at Eggman with a grin. "Alright. Now you've pissed me off."  
_

"Amy, are you sure we should be venturing out into the ruins with your condition?" Amy looked back at the cream colored rabbit as she looked up at her with wide eyes. Amy only grinned at her tiny friend. "Oh, come on, Cream! I've handled worse! Besides, Sonic has suffered more than I have and he's still on the move! I want to show him I'm just as strong as he is!" Amy said cheerfully, as she turned back around. Cream eyed at the cast that's been securely healing her friend's left arm for weeks now. She also looked up at the bandage around her head. "But Amy, if Mister Sonic saw you like this, he'll have a fit." Cream mumbled. Amy looked back again at her friend, a bit irritated. "Cream, stop being such a worry wart! If I feel bad, I promise we'll go back, okay?" She responded.

Cream nodded and sighed. "Okay, Amy, I hope you know what you're doing." She said as she flapped her ears and started flying next to her friend, making sure she wouldn't fall from any obstacles on the floor. Amy smiled at her. "I'll be fine, Cream. Besides, a bit of fresh air is always healthy! And what isn't healthier than the smell of—" She stopped speaking as she sniffed the air. But, it smelled different. Amy scrunched her nose and shook her head. "Metal?" She managed to finish, but rather in a questioning tone. Cream looked back at Amy. "Amy?" The cream colored rabbit asked. Amy looked up at Cream, her expression mixed with worry and anger. "Something's wrong. Let's go." She said and sprinted. Cream gasped. "No, Amy! We mustn't! You'll get hurt!" She shouted after her friend.

As the two ladies rushed to a destination, Cream thought of the battle they had with Eggman, the battle that has Amy in her current condition. Eggman brought Metal Sonic out at last minute for a quick getaway, and the team fought with all their might.  
_

"_Eggman, you damned coward!" Sonic shouted as Eggman flew away, the engine roaring. Sonic stood his ground as the glinting armor of Metal Sonic caught his attention. Metal Sonic was hovering before him, his eyes deadly, even for a robot. Sonic growled and grinned at the robot, a challenging glint in his eyes. "Alright, you scrap of metal. Let's dance." He said and rushed forward. He jumped up into the air and rolled into himself, spinning in the air as he prepared to perform his famous Homing Spin Attack. He finally launched forward and rushed towards Metal Sonic. Metal Sonic held up his lanky but metal arms to block the attack, and to the team's disappointed, it succeeded. Sonic constantly spun into his arms, causing sparks to bounce off of the arms of his opponent. He then jumped away from him to admire at his work, but only frowned when he found that he only made minimal scratches to the metallic armor._

_ Sonic growled. "Sonic!" Tails shouted as he landed behind him. Sonic turned to find that Tails was in the Cyclone, guns aimed at Metal Sonic. Sonic's eyes widened and he jumped out of the way as Tails fired at Metal Sonic. The robot crouched and flew upwards as he went from hovering to boosting. However, the missiles followed the robot. He then concocted a quick idea and searched the ground as he scanned for—"There we go." He said to himself in his robotic tone. He then flew downward, his eyes locked on the pink figure holding a hammer. He saw how she braced herself, ready to attack. If he weren't a robot, he would have grinned sickeningly as he swooped down and grabbed Amy. Amy yelled, kicking and punching at the robot. She growled and attempted to punch the robot square in the jaw, only to receive a sharp pain the emitted from knuckles and surged up to her shoulder. It was the crack the assured her she had somehow broken her arm. She shouted in pain._

_ "Amy!" Sonic shouted and ran towards the two. "Sonic, no, watch out!" Knuckles shouted a bit too late. Metal Sonic turned and saluted the azure hedgehog as the missiles finally hit him. Sonic's eyes widened. "Amy!" Sonic cried as he ran faster. However, the wave of the explosion knocked him back. Knuckles glared at the explosion in the air and rushed forward. He then noticed the falling pink figure. He kicked at the ground harder as he ran faster. He jumped just in time to catch Amy, roll in the air, and land on the ground. He looked down with a grin, expecting Amy to be looking up and smiling up. He felt his heart drop as he noticed her eyes were closed. He then turned around, holding the limp Amy in his arms. "Sonic!" Knuckles shouted, his eyes wide and filled with worry. Sonic was up on his feet and he was there at their side in a second. "Amy! Oh, God, no, Amy, wake up!" Sonic yelled his panic rising as he shook the rosy hedgehog and received no response. "Fuck, Amy!" He shouted and shook harder. He soon saw the pink eyelids flutter, and wave of relief swept over him as a smile smoothed over his lips. "Oh, Amy, thank God." He whispered, fearing that if he shouted, something will happen to her. Amy looked up at Sonic and smiled weakly, reaching up to touch him. "Sonic." She managed to groan before passing out once more._

_ "Amy, wake up." Sonic said, his panic rising again as he placed a hand on the back of her head. He felt liquid oozing into his gloved hand and when he pulled back, a crimson blotch stained his glove. His eyes widened even more and spun around. "Tails, we need to get out of here!" He shouted frantically. Tails nodded and pressed a button, transforming the Cyclone back to the Tornado. In a second, they were all on the plane and gone. One of the worst parts? Metal Sonic managed to escape the blast.  
__

Cream snapped back to reality as she heard the sound of clashing metal. When the girls arrived at the scene, she saw Sonic, Knuckles, and Tails fighting Eggman in the Egg Emperor. Cream gasped and looked at Amy, who already had her Piko Piko Hammer out. Cream gripped her shoulder. "No, Amy! Not with your condition!" She scolded, gazing at her friend angrily. "Cream, I need to help!" Amy shouted as she yanked her shoulder of her friend's grip with sharp shrug and ran into battle. "Amy, no!" Cream cried as she ran after her. That caught Sonic's attention. He looked behind the Egg Emperor and noticed Amy charging at the machine. "Amy, no! Get back!" Sonic shouted as he waved his arm. Amy ignored him. From inside the machine, Eggman grinned. "Amy, you say?" He asked as he turned around, seeing the rosy hedgehog rushing at him with her hammer. "Why, hello, Amy! And I was starting to miss you!" Eggman greeted sarcastically. Amy glared at the mechanism. "You're going down, Egg—" Amy was interrupted as she felt arms envelope her securely and the wind rush against her face.

In seconds, Amy was behind a tree with Sonic, placing her on the ground and gripping onto her shoulders tightly. "Amy, you need to get out of here. You can't fight with your condition and you need to leave." He said between pants. Amy shook her head. "No, Sonic, I want to help!" She responded, determination glowing in her eyes and in her posture. Sonic always did admire her determination, but not today. He shook her head at her. "No, Amy. Not today. You'll get hurt." He said, slowly losing his patience. Amy pouted. "Please, Sonic! Let me help!" She argued. Sonic glared at her. "Amy, I said no, alright? And frankly, I don't need your help! All you ever do is get in the way and get hurt. If it weren't for you, I would have beaten Metal Sonic! So do me a favor and leave me alone!" He yelled at her, hoping to get her to leave. _I'll apologize later. _He thought to himself. Amy stared at him, her jaw opened and tears glistening in her eyes. "Sonic…" She whispered and glared at him. She then slapped his hands away from her and gripped her hammer tightly. At that moment, Sonic ran away to fight the Egg Emperor.

Amy was panting as the tears started gushing from her eyes. "I'll show you, Sonic." She seethed and ran towards the battle. When she ran out, she saw Cream on the sidelines and the trio fighting. Cream spotted her and reached towards her. "Amy!" She shouted and gasped at the anger in her eyes. Sonic heard this and looked. He growled. "Fuck damn it, Amy!" He cursed. Amy sprinted forward and, ignoring her casted arm, gripped her hammer with both hands and struck the Egg Emperor in the leg. The Egg Emperor stumbled to the side as sparks flew from the damaged leg. Eggman's shout was heard at the time of the impact. He then looked at the damaged leg and his eyes widened. "How the hell did you manage to deliver more damage than Sonic?!" He asked as he looked at the heaving, pink hedgehog. He grinned mischievously. "Anger, eh? Isn't it a lovely emotion? It can cause irrational behavior and actions." He said as he slowly rose from the ground and loomed over the pink hedgehog.

"I believe that is how I'm feeling. Irrational." He hinted as he pointed the laser gun at Amy. Sonic felt his heart drop as he noticed what Eggman planned to do. "Amy!" He bellowed and ran forward; only to slam face first into a blue shield that now separated Sonic from Amy and Eggman. Knuckles jumped into action and started beating at the shield. Tails started firing at it while Sonic performed various kicks and punches to break the shield, but all it would do was buzz and flash. Sonic stopped for a second to see Amy started hitting Eggman with her hammer, and Eggman returning fire. Sonic felt hopeful as he saw Eggman starting to limp. That hope was soon erased as Eggman shot at the ground and sent Amy flying, right over the cliff and to the area below where Eggman's base used to be when Chaos was first released. Sonic's world crashed. "Amy!" He hollered as he punched and kicked even harder. Eggman turned to the trio, and Sonic could see the sickening grin on his bushy face. He then opened the pilot doors and flew away. Once he was free from sight, the blue shield died down.

Sonic wasted no time. He kicked the ground at the speed of lightening in search for Amy. As much as they searched, they weren't able to find Amy at all, just where she landed. For the next three months, Sonic spent his time in Amy's house, hoping she would return miraculously. For the next three weeks after those three months, Sonic and the team spent their time planning her funeral. After, the team spent their time planning how they would go about their day knowing Amy was gone. And for the first time in years, their plan didn't work as they mourned.  
_

A/N: Hey guys! If you read this, I hope you enjoyed it. If you did, I'm super glad you did. This was an idea I had bubbling in my mind for a couple of years now and I decided to rev into action! The next chapter is coming soon, so I do hope you stick around! If you have any questions, feel free to ask. Thanks!

-Steffy


	2. Chapter 2

**10 years later**

After ten years of Amy's death, the team managed to pick up where they left off and continue to fight crime and tyranny throughout the city and the ruins. But no matter how much they fought, and how much they battled within their own minds to stay focused, that constant reminder of their missing friend haunted them. More than anything, it haunted Sonic. Every now and then, for the past ten years, he would recount to himself what he had said to Amy, and it's been eating him alive because he never did get to apologize. Even to this day, it stings him. It's as if a dagger pierced his chest and every time he thought of the incident, the dagger would slide in deeper. Every time he thought of his rosy friend, it's as if she took the dagger out of him, only to fiercely stab him in the chest.

Sonic woke up one morning and stared at the ceiling. Today, it will be ten years that Amy left them. He continued to stare at the ceiling, and he forced a smile onto his muzzle. "I hope you're safe and happy up there, Amy." He whispered to himself, hoping she would hear him. Every morning, he expected the bubbly hedgehog to come knocking at his house and bouncing into the cozy home, and every morning he was disappointed as he left to see Tails. Sonic stayed in bed for another hour before forcing himself out of it. He walked out of his room into the adjoining bathroom to shower after a night of sleep and sweat. He undressed himself and stepped into the shower.

After several minutes of cleansing, he stepped out with a towel wrapped tightly around his waist. Using another towel, he towel dried his quills and dried the inside of his ears. He sighed and looked at the misty mirror. He swept a hand over the mirror to view his face in the mirror, and found that he had bags under his eyes. He dropped his head as he exhaled sharply through his nose. He stood back up and left the bathroom. He scanned his wardrobe and smiled. He pulled out a navy blue puffer vest Amy had bought for him once for his birthday. He slipped it one and zipped it up to the mid-point of his chest. He grabbed normal black jeans and slipped them on, and he slipped on his classic running shoes. He walked over to his night stand and lifted the gloves off from it and slid them over his hands.

With one final look in the mirror and a lazy shrug, he left the bedroom. As he made his way to the kitchen to get something to eat, a knocked rapped against his door. He turned towards the door and walked on over. He looked through the peep hole and smiled softly. He unlocked the door and opened, revealing a sad-smiled Sally Acorn on the side. "Hey, Sonic." She said calmly, holding up breakfast from McDonald's. "I brought breakfast." Sonic smiled at her and stepped aside so she can enter. "Hey, Sal. Thanks for the food." He greeted as she stepped inside. He closed the door after her and the two sat at the table.

The two sat in silence as they ate. Sonic mainly stared at his food and would take a bite between stares. Sally watched him with a worry gazed. Sonic smiled and glanced up at her. "You know, Sal, if you keep looking at me like that, you might burn a hole in my skull." He joked, causing Sally to snap out of her stupor and smile embarrassingly at him. "Sorry. I'm just…" She left it at that and looked down at her food. "Has it already been ten years?" She whispered, almost inaudible to Sonic's ears. Sonic immediately tensed, and Sally noticed. She reached out and grabbed his hand. "I'm so sorry, Sonic. I don't mean to bring it up. It's almost impossible to keep it silent, though." She quickly added, feeling guilty already. Sonic forced himself to smile, but it was evident that it was sad. "It's alright, Sal, you mean well." He replied, not once looking at her as he fought back the tears.

Sally inhaled, feeling her eyes beginning to sting. "I know she's watching over us. And I know she's rooting us on, especially you." She soothed as her voice cracked towards the end. Sonic felt a cold chill run down his spine and he finally looked up at Sally. "You think so?" He whispered. Sally has never seen Sonic like this. Like as if he was desperately looking for a reason to hang on. Sally nodded soon after and she rubbed his hand with her thumb. "I know so. She wouldn't abandon us." She confirmed. Sonic nodded and stood up rather drastically and Sally followed him after, immediately concerned for her blue friend. "Sonic?" She asked, her eyes wide and looking for any strange signs. Sonic made no sound as he closed the space between the two and hugged her, burying his face into the crook of her neck as he hunched over. Sally slowly returned the hug since the action left her in a state of shock.

Sally felt Sonic shaking, and she gripped onto him tighter. "I miss her, Sal." Sonic managed to croak out. Sally sighed softly and looked up at the ceiling, trying to remain strong for the shattering hero. "I know, Sonic. I miss her too." She whispered, trying to remain calm. Sonic kept hugging her, and it only made it worse. He missed Amy's death hugs; the ones that would leave him completely breathless and pain ridden for weeks; the kind of pain that Eggman or his robots could not leave on him because it was made out of love and compassion, something Eggman did not have. Just the thought of the fat bastard brought angry tears to Sonic's eyes. Sonic pulled away from the hug and looked down at the floor, his hands on Sally's shoulders. Sally looked at him and petted the top of his head. "We'll see her one day, Sonic. I promise." She whispered and he nodded. He looked up and smiled. "Thanks, Sal. Let's go see Tails and see how he's doing." Sonic concluded as he dropped his arms and made way to the door. Sally watched him and looked back at the table with a frown. He hadn't finished eating. At this rate, Sonic will become sick.  
_

The trip to Tails's house was how it has been for the past ten years—slow. But for some reason, on this specific day after ten years, it must have been the most torturous walk to his two-tailed friend's house. Sonic loved running. It was his passion. It's something that everyone knew and understood and they all managed to work their own body around his. Tails would use his twin tails to hover over the ground and speed up. Knuckles would glide if needed. Shadow had his hover shoes, so there wasn't a problem there at all. Even Amy managed to keep up. Sonic never did find out how, but she always did. Deep down, Sonic liked to think that Amy chased him not because she wanted to be with him, but because she knew how much he loved to run. But no amount of passion of an action will bring him to run today. He felt as if he owed it to her, since he never did stop.

Sonic and Sally finally arrived at the Station. Sally looked over at her old friend. _He's grown so much._ She noted as she had to look up at the hedgehog. His quills have grown longer, and his eyes wiser, but it was still Sonic. Regardless of how mature he looked, he still managed to crack a childish smile when he can. Sally smiled to herself and looked down at the floor as they waited for the train to the Mystic Ruins. Sonic glanced over to Sally and looked back down. _Time sure does a number on us. _He finalized. Sally's hair had grown to middle of her back. Her face remained chubby, since she was a chipmunk, but it still managed to capture her maturity and beauty. She held stern eyes in public, he noted. He silently chuckled to himself. _Princess reputations. _He thought to himself in light humor. Sally ditched the blue jacket and boots for something similar, but mature for her age. She now wore a blue cropped jacket and a black tank under. She wore dark blue skinny jeans and black high heeled boots.

Although the two had gone out in the past, they remained just friends, even after Sally tried to give him a second chance. They found that Sonic's freedom and Sally's duty to stay in Knothole would ruin their relationship. However, they did find to be amazing friends. That is why she was here now, to support him and comfort him. She heard the rattling of chains and metal and looked up, watching as the train rolled in. She lightly tapped Sonic on the arm, resulting in him to look up rather quickly. Sonic looked at her and forced a sheepish grin. The two friends entered the train in silence, taking a seat next to one another as the train rolled to a start.  
_

"Hey, it's Tails." Sonic heard Sally say as the train slowed to a stop. He looked out the window and saw the yellow fox waving at the train. Sonic felt a genuine smile tug at his lips at the sight of the young genius jumping around and waving. Sonic and Sally exited the train and made the journey to the small workshop up on the hill. Tails was grinning down at the two. He knew just exactly what today was, but he wasn't going to let Sonic kill himself. He struggled to keep a smile on as the two made their way up the stairs. At the arrival, Tails hovered and flew towards Sally. "Aunt Sally!" He shouted cheerfully as he hugged him, just as if he were six years old all over again. Sally laughed and hugged him back. "It's great to see you too, Tails." She greeted as she now looked up at the two tailed fox.

Sally noted how Tails has grown as well, and drastically too. The three hairs the poked out of his forehead grew to the point they fell into his eyes so he wore a black headband just under the bangs to keep them from doing so. His furry muzzle grew as well, and a small, white goatee was growing right on his chin. His eyes were a darker shade of blue and his fur color a tad bit darker as well, but not once losing its yellow spark. He, like Sonic, wore a puffer vest, but it was colored brown rather than the navy blue Sonic had. He wore a black tee under it with dark khaki cargo pants and his traditional shoes. He also ditched the white gloves with dark brown and fingerless gloves. He looked down at the princess.

"Wow, Sally, you're so small! I would have never expected for you to be shorter than me! I'm so used to you towering over me!" He announced jokingly. Sonic looked at the two with a smile, kind of just snapping this image into his memory. Tails looked over at Sonic and smiled. Ever since the two friends grew up, Tails no longer looked up at him, but rather eye to eye. Tails walked over and embraced Sonic and Sonic hugged him back. "How you doing, buddy?" Tails asked softly, as if not to provoke. Sonic would never admit it to Tails, or anyone, for that matter, but it bugged him how fragile people treated him since that day ten years ago. He felt weak. Sonic managed a smile. "I'm good, how about you?" He asked almost a bit too awkwardly.

Tails nodded and shrugged. "I could be better. I think we all could be." He determined as he watched his friends actions. Sonic nodded. "Yeah, we really could be." Sonic agreed and cleared his throat, shoving his hands into his pockets. Tails shifted his eyes from the ground to Sonic before inhaling sharply and turning a bit to look at Sally and Sonic. "So! Everyone's already in the ruins." He informed and looked at Sonic. "Let's go." Tails urged as he placed a hand on his best friend. Sonic nodded again and the three made the trip to the ruins.  
_

_If Amy is really watching over us, would she be crying right now? _Sonic asked himself as he saw the team gathered around the same area Amy landed years ago. Sonic looked over the scene with a heavy heart. For the past ten years, the gang would rendezvous to this point and place a single rose on the spot. After everyone was done, there would be a gigantic pile right there on the ground. Sonic looked down at his rose and felt a pang against his chest. He shut his eyes and sighed. He opened his eyes and looked back up, realizing everyone was looking at him. He slowly approached the pile of roses and placed his right on top. He stepped away from the pile and shoved his hands down into his pants' pockets.

Sonic felt a hand on his shoulder and he turned to his shoulder. He saw the familiar gloved and spiked hand of Knuckles. He looked up at Knuckles, and he also noted how his friend had changed over the years. With so much exposure to the sun while guarding the Master Emerald, Knuckles's muzzle tanned quite a bit compared to how he had it ten years ago. His red color also darkened a bit. It had nothing to do with the sun but rather with maturity. Oh, how they have matured over the years.

Knuckles squeezed his shoulder. "You doing alright, buddy?" He asked, looking right into his eyes. Sonic half-smiled and nodded. "Yeah." He simply said and looked back at the pile of roses on the floor. Knuckles dropped his hand and looked as well. Knuckles wore a black puffer vest with a mahogany colored tee under it. The vest was kept open, and he wore black jeans and his traditional gloves and shoes.

Knuckles lifted his gaze from the ground and saw Rouge, who only nodded at him. Rouge had changed as well. She still maintained her physique, but she dumped her old outfit with something she believed would suit her age yet still has a hint of appeal. She wore a purple jacket that fitted well at the waist and would come back out slightly, cropping right above her read. She wore the jacket open, revealing a black, cropped tank top, and she matched with black jean leggings and purple knee-high boots. She ditched the long gloves and replaced them with shorter ones, so as not to clash with the jacket. Her fur grew a bit, down to shoulders, and her eyes remained sparkly blue. Knuckles nodded back and turned back to Sonic. "We'll be waiting at the workshop, if you need time." He suggested and Sonic only nodded. Knuckles looked up and nodded at the rest of the team. They all walked away from Sonic and the roses as they made their way back to Tails's workshop.  
_

Once Sonic was sure everyone had cleared out, he looked behind him at the ground and bent backwards before hopping a bit and sitting on the soft meadow. He sat cross legged as he began to rip grass out and tear them to pieces. He smiled to himself and closed his eyes. For a while, he felt Amy was with him as he sailed away to a time where she lived.  
_

_"Sonic, wait up! Just for a second!" Amy called out as she ran after her blue hero. Sonic was grinning as he dashed away from Amy. He looked behind him to see where she was and saw a pink figure far ahead. He chuckled and turned back around… Only to crash into an unknown obstacle. The pain shot from the tip of his nose all the way to the back of his head, and he concluded that he would have nose bleed. The pain sparked done his spine as she shook from the intensity of it before sliding down the tree, landing with a loud and quite unappealing THUMP on the ground. Amy gasped as she saw this. "Sonic!" She screamed and ran to him, making sure to keep her basket steady so the contents of it wouldn't come spilling out. _

_ Once she arrived, she looked down at the fallen hero. She placed a fist on her hips and couldn't help the smirk that snaked onto her muzzle. "That'll teach you not to run from me! Now." She said as she gracefully sat down next to him and placed his head on her lap. "You're lucky I came prepared." She said as she opened the basket and started fishing through it. Sonic held his head and groaned as his vision became blurry. He swore he would pass out any minute n—_

_ "What the hell?!" Sonic yelled as he felt a sharp and icy object on his head. He also felt water trickle down from that one spot on his head down to his muzzle. The icy sensation brought him back to reality and looked up. He saw the smiling face of Amy look down at him, and she giggled. "Hi, Sonic!" She chirped. Sonic's eyes widened and he immediately sat up. "A-Amy!" He stuttered turning to look at her. Amy giggled. "You always become so flustered when I'm near you. You must really love me!" Amy announced as she placed a hand on her cheek, blushing softly. Sonic felt nervous and embarrassed all the same. "No, Amy, that's not what I—" He started until Amy shushed him. "Hush. You should eat." She said as she went back to fishing through the basket. Soon after, she pulled out a chili dog. _

_ Sonic eyed the chili dog as his mouth salivated. Amy watched him with a playful pout. "If only you looked at me like that." She joked and winked at him. Sonic felt the blood rushing to his face as his eyes widened. "A-Amy, no! You're my friend, I would never—" "Girlfriend." Amy corrected with an amused look. "Huh? No, Amy, that's—" "Shush, eat." She interrupted as she practically shoved the chili dog into Sonic's mouth. He moved back a bit to prevent that before grabbing the delicious snack. He took a bite and moaned in satisfaction._

_ Amy watched him silently as she drank from a bottle of water she had with her. After Sonic finished his chili dog, he cleared his throat. He went to look for a water bottle through the basket, but was stopped short as Amy handed him one. He looked at her hand and noticed how the droplets of water on the bottle soaked into her glove. When he took it from her, the same did not happen to him. He looked up at her and noticed how she glanced at her glove before placing it back on her lap, smiling at him._

_ "Doesn't that bother you?" He asked, getting more comfortable with her as he leaned against the tree. "What?" Amy asked as she looked at him with a confused expression. "The moisture of the bottle on your glove." He confirmed and took a swig of water. She only shook her head. "Of course not! But I know it bothers you; that's why I wiped it off." She added calmly before drinking from her bottle. Sonic watched her as a genuine smile snaked onto his muzzle. "Thanks, Ames. For all of this." He added and Amy only smiled. "For you, Sonic, anything." She sighed. Amy noticed a bit of chili on Sonic's muzzle and reached over to clean it off. Sonic froze on the spot, thinking she was going to attempt a stolen kiss. He softened up when all she did was wipe his cheek with a napkin. He smiled at her as she discarded the napkin and went back to his cheek, softly brushing it now.  
__

Sonic placed his hand on his cheek, wishing that it is exactly what he had done many years ago. However, the feeling of someone's hand under his tensed him up, and the feel of someone's hand on his cheek caused him to open his eyes. When he looked around, no one was around. Not even a sign. He listened closely, hoping to hear movement within the ruins. After five minutes of nothing, he dropped his shoulders and looked around the area now. If his memory served him right, this is exactly the same place Amy and he had their small picnic.

Sonic looked down at the pile of roses and sighed. "I miss you, Ames. I never realized how much I needed you in my life until now." He whispered, hoping she would be listening to him. He slowly stood up and made the long walk back to the workshop without a single glance back at the roses.  
_

Tails closed the door behind him as everyone shuffled into the space. Cream stood near him and smiled. "Are you okay, Tails?" She asked, her voice innocent and soft, but no longer high pitched as it used to be. Tails sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, I'm just worried for Sonic, that's all." He said, adding a reassuring smile at the end. Cream had grown so much. If anything, she's had the most drastic changes in the entire group, with Charmy following, of course. She grew tall, but she was still short enough to only reach Tails's shoulders. A small puff of hair fluffed out right at the brown spot on her forehead. She also started developing, and quite quickly, much to Tails's discomfort. It was no secret that Tails did begin to develop feelings for the young rabbit, but he made sure (as did everyone else) to keep it a secret from the bubbly specimen.

Cream still wore a dress, but it more flattering to her, physically and personality wise. It stopped right at the knees and it was exceptionally smooth and it liked to flow a lot. It was a red-orange color and the pleats started at her hips and they came out. The dress didn't have any sleeves but it was a button down in the front. She styled it in a way that was button all the way to the top. She wore her normal gloves and she replaced her old shoes with ankle boots.

Tails smiled down at the rabbit. "Come on. I'll get you something to drink." He said as the two made their way to the kitchen. Knuckles watched the two with a smile. "You have to admit. Seeing young love like this is quite refreshing and soothing for all of us." He heard Rouge say from behind him. He nodded and looked back towards the kitchen. "Yeah. It kind of gives us all hope, you know?" He said and smiled. Everyone was seated in front of the T.V., some on the couch and some on the floor. They were watching the news until the connection fizzed out and all that remained was loud static. Knuckles growled and was about to stand up before the RGB colors shown on screen, then the picture rolling over as if trying to find connection.

Finally, the senile face of Dr. Robotnik showed on screen. "Why, hello, Sonic Team." He spat out, grinning mischievously. Knuckles's eyes widened and he turned around. "Tails!" He screamed. Tails and Cream came running in, the face of Eggman stopping them in their tracks. "Eggman! What do you want?" Tails demanded to know, immediately taking charge of the situation. Eggman chose to ignore him. "Where's your hero, Sonic Team? I'd expect him to be here. Or is he still grieving over the loss of that pink pathetic mess?" He seethed. Tears immediately sprung to Cream's eyes. "How dare you, you swine?!" Rouge shouted, glaring at the screen. "Shut it, bat girl. I have more important deeds to attend to than watch you all fight me in defense of your dead teammate. On to business. In my possession, I hold 2 of the seven Chaos Emeralds. As I know, you hold 3 of them. And I happen to know someone, an adversary, if you say, who holds the other two emeralds. However, I will not give them up easily, neither will you, and neither will our masked villain. But I propose an air race. My adversary has agreed to it. Winner takes all." Eggman concluded with a smirk.

Tails scoffed at the round elder. "How will we know you're not trying to trick us?" Knuckles asked, knowing too well how Eggman was a trickster and a cheater at that. Eggman smirked even wider. "How will you know if there is an adversary who holds two of the Chaos Emeralds if you do not take this challenge? I'll be waiting for your response." He spoke, and the connection was lost, going back to the static. Knuckles quickly turned off the T.V. and turned to Tails. Tails looked down at him, determination and anger burning in his eyes. "We need to get Sonic. Pronto."


	3. Chapter 3

The walk back to the workshop was long and grueling for Sonic. Then again, it always felt like that when he walked away from Amy's "grave". It always felt as if he were leaving a part of himself behind. He looked at the ground and kicked rocks as he passed, completely lost in his thoughts. He was lost to the point he did not hear the frantic cries of his friend, Tails, calling him out. It was only when the two tailed fox slammed into him unexpectedly that snapped him out of his daze.

Sonic felt the air get knocked out of his lungs and Tails's hands gripping his shoulders as he coughed up a storm. He couldn't catch what his friend had said and he looked up at the fox. "Tails," He groaned out before standing straight after being hunched over and hugging his stomach after the impact. "Slow down. What is going?" He asked as he exhaled sharply and listened to Tails closely. Tails cleared his throat. "Eggman."

The mention of the evil scientist sparked fury within Sonic and he glared not at Tails but rather at the mention of the name. "What about the fat bastard?" He growled. Tails coughed and looked at Sonic directly. "Eggman has two Chaos Emeralds. He says he knows someone else who has the other two. But the only way we can get them is if we air race again." He finally explained. Sonic felt his tension calm and he sighed. "What if it's a trick?" Sonic asked, knowing full well how that went last time. Tails shrugged. "We have no choice. He even said it himself. 'How will you know if there is an adversary who holds two of the Chaos Emeralds if you do not take this challenge? I'll be waiting for your response.' That's what he said." Tails dictated, remembering perfectly well the words of the scientist.

Sonic sighed and rubbed his forehead. He looked at the ground for a while before he looked at Tails again. "Let's go talk to the others and see what they have to say." He suggested and Tails nodded. The two headed back to the workshop in a rush.  
_

Sonic opened the doors to the workshop to see everyone seated and arguing. Sonic semi-glared at the scene. He shook his head and cleared his throat. When that didn't catch their attention, he rolled his eyes. "Hey!" He shouted over the noise, and the team turned to look at him. Sonic stood there with his arms crossed and looking down at them. Sally smiled as she saw the old Sonic shine through. "What is going on here?" He asked. Knuckles stood up from the floor and faced Sonic. "We're discussing what's going on with Eggman. I don't think we should, Sonic. I say we sabotage his plan, catch him while he's off guard! That Egghead is up to something nasty, I know it." He announced, crossing his arms across his chest.

"And I say that we need to do this! What are the chances that he is actually holding two Chaos Emeralds?" Rouge spoke up, standing up as well. "Sonic, we can't risk that chance. We need to do this." She said, placing a hand on her hip. Knuckles rolled his eyes. Rouge glared at the red echidna then looked back at Sonic, expecting him to answer and side with her.

"I say we split up." A cool voice suggested from the left. Sonic looked and saw Shadow sitting there, leaning back against the couch with an arm stretched over the back of the couch. Shadow hadn't changed much over the years. After all, he was the Ultimate Life-Form; not much change would be bestowed upon him. The only change that was noticeable were the facts that one, he had warmed up to the team a bit; two, he grew taller, just as tall as Sonic; and three, he wore clothes like the rest of them. He wore a black trench coat over a crimson tee shirt. He paired it with black pants and a chain that went from one belt buckle to the other. He also wore his traditional hover shoes and gloves with clasps on his wrists. He also wore a silver necklace with a strange design hanging from it. The design looked similar to the symbol that was just made for him; with the difference that right spot in the middle was something that looked like a rose.

Sonic watched him carefully and smirked. "Well, Shads, looks like we have our plan." He said and looked at the rest of the team. "We're going to need to split up. One group will be racing. One half of the other group will be standing in the sidelines each race to give Eggman the idea that we're not trying to sneak into his quarters. The other half will do just that: sneak into his quarters." He decided and looked to Tails. "Tails, can you hook us up with some hands-free talking devices?" He asked and Tails nodded, disappearing deeper into his workshop to find the devices.

"Now, as far as teams go—" Sonic started as he looked over the team. Before him, he saw the following people: Knuckles, Rouge, Cream, Shadow, Sally, Espio, Charmy, Vector, Silver, and Blaze. He surveyed the group and balanced out the possibilities in his mind. Sonic smirked and nodded. "Alright. Tails, Knuckles, Rouge, Cream, Shadow, and I will be racing. We're more experienced when it comes to air racing. Sally, Espio, Charmy, Vector, Silver, and Blaze, you guys have more experience breaking into places and finding out what we need to. So discuss amongst yourselves who will be in charge of what when the time comes, alright? Sally, I'm putting you in charge." Sonic finally decided as Tails finally came back with a bag full of devices. Sally nodded and smiled. "You can count on me." She said.

Sonic nodded as well and turned to Tails. "Are you ready to catch some wind?" He asked with a grin. Tails looked up at him. For the first time in tears, Tails saw the old Sonic. He saw him in his smile, in his eyes, his posture, and his voice. Tails blinked a couple of times before grinning widely. "You bet I am!" He responded excitedly. Sonic nodded, grinning as he saw the excitement in everyone's demeanor as they all took a hands-free device for themselves. Once that was done, Sonic stood in front of the television.

"Tails, get Eggman back. He and I have a score to settle." Sonic ordered and glared down at the television, smirking to himself. _This battle isn't over yet, Eggman. I promised Amy that no matter what, you will go down. This stops here._  
_

After several minutes of tracking Eggman's signal location and several other tries of trying to bring down his wall, Tails was finally able to get connected to Eggman's base. The cackling of Eggman could be heard before his face appeared on screen. The sound sent a shiver through Tails's spine, and it troubled him. Maybe Knuckles was right; this may be the moment that things will get nastier than before. "Eggman." Tails heard Sonic say. He turned in his seat and saw Eggman on screen, his hands behind his round body and peering over his glasses at the group. "Ah, Sonic. I'm so glad you can finally grace us with your presence. Have you found the body of your dead girlfriend, yet?" He asked wickedly, grinning. Tails saw Sonic twitch and for a moment he thought he would need to replace his television.

However, when he heard the dark chuckle coming from Sonic, he knew Sonic wasn't going to let the doctor get to him. "Let's get to business, Egghead. You have two emeralds and so does someone you know. We have three. Winner takes all, right?" Sonic asked, tilting his head to the side with a challenging grin. Eggman scoffed. "I can see that the loss of Amy Rose has done nothing to your character. You're still an annoying brat who only thinks about saving the world. I'm surprised the pink hedgehog stuck around for such a long time." Eggman concluded. Sonic inhaled sharply and he started breathing hard. "Winner takes all, _right?_" He stressed the last word out, glaring at the television. Eggman smirked. "Of course, dear boy. Do you accept my challenge?" He asked as he moved his hands from behind him and held the two Chaos Emeralds before him. He held the white and yellow ones.

Sonic smirked as he held out the green, red, and aqua emeralds in front of him. "I accept." He finally said. Eggman chuckled. "Perfect." He said before the television started to skip the images. There was a quick static before a black screen was shown. "Hello, blue hedgehog." A gruff voice spoke. Sonic tilted his head to the side again. "And you are?" He asked, glaring at the television. The voice chuckled; it was deep and it rumbled. "I'm Robotnik's secret adversary. I've just received information that you have decided to accept _my_ offer. Is this true?" The voice asked. Sonic looked confusingly at the television. "Your offer? I thought it was Egg—" "That buffoon takes credit for everything. Dirty scoundrel. I'm glad you accepted. I would just like to formally welcome you to the race. I believe I can entice your interest more at the sight of these." The voice spoke and held out the blue and fuchsia colored emeralds.

Sonic chuckled. "My interest had already been caught by Eggman. I have a bone to pick with him." He confessed. "I'm glad. But be wary. Eggman is the least of your problems now. Goodbye, hedgehog." The voice said and the connection timed out. Knuckles turned the television off as soon as the static came on. Tails tapped Sonic on the shoulders. Sonic turned to look at his friend. "What's up?" He asked as he saw Tails eyeing the television. "Sonic, that voice was altered. That means if there's more than one person at the race that isn't our team, it could be anyone. We need to be suspicious of who we talk to now." Tails informed and looked back at Sonic. Sonic nodded. "You got that, everyone? Alright, great." He grinned and turned to face everyone. "Gear up."  
_

The workshop was alive with movement and preparations. Tails was deep within the shop modifying the boards and double-checking to see that they all worked perfectly. He also checked that each board was compatible with its rider. Sally and Espio were huddled together, finalizing some key points to a plan they devised. Charmy, Vector, Silver, and Blaze sat behind them. Silver and Blaze sat the closest to each other. They were talking to each other softly, so the others wouldn't hear.

"Do you think this a good idea?" Silver mumbled to Blaze, who only shrugged. "We have to, Silver. It is our duty, after all." She reminded. Blaze wondered why her friend was suddenly so reluctant to jump into action. Blaze watched him carefully, and noticed just how much he had changed, and how he grew to be such a handsome hedgehog. Silver's quills may have not grown, but he certainly has grown taller. His eyes still held that golden spark, but it remained innocent. Regardless of all the battles he has faced, being in a completely different time has left him a bit confused, and Blaze was alright with that. She found it a bit adorable at times. Besides the growth, Silver did start wearing clothes like the rest of the boys (They all sought it to be necessary). He wore a black and gray plaid button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up and black jeans. He wore his typical boots and gloves.

Silver glanced over to the cat, his eyes filled with worry. "I know. But I sense something is wrong. Knuckles is right. Something is definitely off." Silver admitted, turning towards her fully with wide eyes. Blaze's own eyes widened as she saw the nervousness in her friend. "Silver… If we're all together, nothing bad will happen. We'll just need to stay together and stress this slight importance of detail to the team. I'm sure they'll understand." Blaze appeased, placing a gloved hand on the hedgehog's own gloved hand. Silver released a shaky sigh and looked back down. He smiled and glanced over to the cat. "Thanks, Blaze…" He whispered. She managed a smile and nodded. "You're welcome, Silver." She responded and removed her hand from his.

Silver looked back down and recounted the years he has spent with Blaze. She was, after all, his best friend. She was always there for him and vice versa, of course. They vowed to cleanse the world of the evil it plagues. They've fought, battle after battle, especially against Iblis. Silver closed his eyes tightly and thought of that monster. He thought of how, because of that thing, he almost lost his best friend. It was a miracle that she managed to return. How, he can't possibly fathom, and she chose not to explain how. Not until he was ready, at least. He looked over to the purple cat and was so damn grateful she was sitting next to him. Over the years, the cat grew wiser and more beautiful. The hair on the top of hair grew so that it swooped down, more like a pony tail. She wore a white jacket with collars popped up. She would usually clasp the jacket around her waist with a belt and buckle that came with the jacket, but under she wore a purple tank top. She wore dark purple jeans and her customary ankle boots. Her eyes still held a fiery flame in them from when she trapped Iblis within her, but they still managed to be beautiful.

Silver involuntarily sighed, smiling to himself. Blaze felt a small swoop of air ghost over her cheek and she turned to look at Silver, who turned away before she caught him. She tilted her head to the side in confusion before shrugging and looking back out the window. Silver felt head climbing up to his face in embarrassment. _God damn it, Silver. _He cursed himself, fidgeting with his hands. He looked up and out the window behind the television, and noticed the sun was setting. The golden colors of the sun warmed his heart, and yet it still stung him. After all, he did experience his first sunrise with Amy Rose.

He smiled despite the fact his heart. _That girl was all over the place. _He thought as he reminisced of their first encounter. He was on top of a roof looking down at Sonic, who he thought to believe was the Iblis Trigger.

_Silver's eyes scanned the vicinity, peering over other roof tops for any sign of blue. He raced and jumped from roof top to roof top, stopping every five houses to look. After several tries, he finally found a spot of blue. His heart began to race and he felt his blood boil. _You! _He thought to himself. He bared his fangs and growled. _It's your fault my world has gone to shit! But I will stop this. And now. _He silently signed an oath to do so. He grinned and sighed. "I finally found him… The Iblis Trigger…" He prowled on top of the roof to attack, jumping to the roof below him, before he felt a strong pair of arms wrap around his midsection in a tight squeeze. His eyes widened as he instantly lost the ability to breathe. _

"_Now, I've got you, Sonic!" He heard the pitched voice of a girl say. "What the—?! Hey!" He cried out, astonished as he looked behind him in an attempt to see his assailant. "It's about time I finally caught you!" He heard as the girl triumphantly announced. He felt his cheeks heating up as she started to nuzzle his chest, his eyes widening even more. Suddenly, she stopped the nuzzling and slowly lifted her head up. The first things he saw were these gorgeous, emerald eyes. His mouth slightly gaped as he stared into those eyes, soon realizing the pink quills and bangs that framed her face. His arms slowly descended to his sides._

_He noticed how her eyes, once filled with curiosity, grew wide in embarrassment and shock. She quickly stepped back, her jaw dropping. Soon, her mouth formed words. "Hey! You're not Sonic!" She cried out, holding her hands up in a feeble attempt to keep him away from her. Once she saw that he wasn't a threat to her, she broke out into an embarrassed smile and smacked his shoulder… Hard. "Um… I'm sorry!" She quickly followed after the hit to the shoulder, covering her face with her hands as she began to shake. Silver stumbled forward and tried to regain his balance so he wouldn't fall off the blasted roof. Once he was safe back on the roof, both feet on the roof, he looked over to the pink… Is that a hedgehog?_

_Silver stared at her with wide eyes. _A hedgehog? Like… Like me?!_ He thought to himself as she continued to shake. He felt a smile snake onto his muzzle. _I never knew there would be someone like me here… _He admitted, before thinking of the Iblis Trigger. He growled. _Well, someone not evil. _He corrected. He realized that the girl continued to shake. He thought she would feel more comfortable with him if he at least spoke up. Maybe they can start off on first name basis? "Ah, I'm…" He started before looking over to the spot that he saw Sonic, who was now gone. He felt his stomach drop. "Huh?!" He called out, quickly searching the area as he moved his head from side to side. He balled his hands into fists as he felt his blood boil once more. However, he chose to appear calm so as not to startle the pink hedgehog. "Hey, where did he go?" He asked, mainly to himself than to the girl next to him. _

_After a feeble attempt to spot the Iblis Trigger, he threw his hands down in frustration and kicked at the roof. "He must have run off!" He finally concluded, growling as his frustration grew. He heard the small two steps of the girl next to him. Suddenly, she spoke up. "I'm sorry. Did you miss someone because of me?" She asked, guilt pooling over her words. Silver felt guilty as well for making the girl think it was her fault… Which it kind of was, but he chose not to tell her. He looked at her before shaking his head and looking away once more. "Ah… It's okay." He accepted her apology. He turned to her this time, a smile on his muzzle. "I'm sure the guy I'm looking for is still on the island. I'm sure I can still find him." He admitted as he waved a hand as if to dismiss her worry, hoping to boost her spirits, and his own. _

_He felt hands grab his and a giggle escape the small lips of the girl. "Well then, I'll help you!" She offered as she nodded. It seemed to Silver that this girl had already finalized her plans for as long as this would drag out. He was shocked, though, as he moved back a bit. "What?" He asked, dumbfounded at the sudden offerings of the pink hedgehog. She giggled. "Two heads are better than one when looking for someone!" She informed, smiling. But Silver knew the dangers of his mission, and he wouldn't sacrifice someone just so they can help him. His eyes grew worried as he held up his other hand; as if to let her know she needed to stop. "Hey, just wait a second!" He pleaded, shaking his head. Then the question the two of them have been waiting for sparked up._

"_What's your name?" She asked, tilting her head to the side. Silver watched her, still worried as he stared at her. He sighed before looking down in defeat. "… Silver." He responded a bit later, immediately feeling accountable for dragging her into this by the mention of his name. The girl grinned, knowing full well that Silver had accepted her company. "That's a nice name. I'm Amy Rose." She admitted before taking hold of his hand with only one of her own. She looked behind her with a grin as she broke into a small run, not once letting go of his hand. "It's nice to meet you!" She delightfully greeted. Silver stumbled to keep up, wondering how a girl so small can be so fast compared to him. "Ah… Hey, wait!" He pleaded once more, continuously stumbling as he heard her giggle._

Amy Rose… Now, that is surely a nice name…_ He confessed to himself as a smile broke out on his face. _This will be one heck of an adventure.  
_

Silver hadn't realized that he was smiling to himself, a tear hanging from the corner of his eye. Only when he felt a hand brushing at his eye did he open them once more and looked to his left, seeing Blaze smiling at him as she wiped the tear away. "I know, Silver…" She whispered. Silver smiled at her sadly before laying his head on her shoulder. She softly patted his head, looking out the window once more in deep thought. _We all dearly miss you, Miss Rose. __His _


End file.
